Westmarch
by Michael Ronso
Summary: Two warriros fight their way through the world, looking for hope, and wealth with nothing to depend upon but themselves. But when evil and the forces of the Shadow take intrest in one of them, will the other support his life long friend?


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Westmarch  
  
The City of Westmarch's lighting glimmered in the dark night that had the moon had set around the city. The clouds had covered any stars, stealing away any hope of them shinning through this night. On the main road to Westmarch a long Caravan of traders approached the city slowly, as they were driven by donkeys, rather then horses. In one of the covered wagons near the back of the caravan Mason Hdriel and his close friend, Victor Bkarn sat, gazing at the desolate wastelands that surround Westmarch's capital city.  
  
"A blackened field 'ave I ever seen one, 'eh Mas?" Victor asked his companion turning to meet the gaze of the other man. Mason Hdriel was a young man of twenty-four, who held the light frame that most mages had, lacking in muscle tissue from years of frail study. The man had held decent features, being very tall, holding at an even six feet, as well as short black hair that was well cut and maintained, and emerald green eyes that seemed to search for your soul when they looked upon you. Victor Bkarn had grown up with Mason Hdriel since as far back as he remembered and had become very close friends to say the least, needing each other for different reasons.  
  
"Yes. This place is very forbidding. I am surprised to see such a large city spring up in this land." Mason turned to Victor, glazing at his friend. Victor was also twenty-four years old, but unlike himself, was not a sorcerer, but more of a footman, skilled in martial abilities, and weapons, mostly with a sword. Victor was a large, burly man with muscles for his muscles. Victor held at five feet, eight inches and had brown hair and eyes, but unlike his own shorter hair; Victor's was longer and parted down to the side of his head. His most distinct feature perhaps was a long scar that crossed his face from just above his left eyebrow, down stopping at his eye, then continuing on the other side of the eye down to his left ear. He had obtained that mark while sailing in the Gulf of Westmarch a few years before and it make him look just as much of skilled hardened warrior that he was. This was not like Mason himself.  
  
People did not take Mason for the threat he could be to them because they underestimated his age. Mason was as skilled in the ways of magic as even the best of Sorcerers these days, but since he was young, people did not choose to believe that until they found themselves at the one end of one of his deadly elemental spells or any other great enchantments he could muster. Able to summon a powerful spells with a thought or single word of power made him unlike most other mages that relayed on long drown out incantations and symbols that usually wasted time in battle, and for this reason he was just as deadly in battle as any speedy swordsman.  
  
Since birth Mason had always shown that he had the potential to wield powerful magic, and since his early infancy had been training in the ways of magic. Priest-trained by a group of wandering priests, Mason soon developed his powers to be great and did many things to help protect the town of Branshill, which both Victor and Mason were from, from the raging wilderness. Because of his intense training Mason had little friends, but is only one that he could really count on and call a friend was Victor.  
  
Victor Bkarn was been born into a family of fisherman, and had an adept talent for the seas. The large man had also obtained skills with a sword because his father had also been head of duelist club back in his youth. Both skills he had obtained were great passions for him, and he trained often with a sword, and sailed whenever he could. He had held a great friendship with Mason, and had enjoyed much his stories of the magic he could perform back when he was a child, and even today still liked to listen to Mason tell him of legends he knows.  
  
The both of them had left Branshill to move about the world in search fortune and adventure, and having nothing to do at the moment and no battles to be fought, The pare headed to Westmarch to see if they can find work for themselves to get by, while listening to anything that might interest them.  
  
It didn't take long for the caravan to reach the city walls were they would be inspected before they would be allowed to enter the city. As the caravan came to a stop, Mason got up, wiping dust from his turinash, or spirit robes, which were color back as the base color with flares of red common in them. Victor wore common clothes, a brown shirt and blue cotton pants that reached down to black leather boots. He had also been wearing the shirt of chainmail that was in great need of repair.  
  
"Once we gain some money," Mason said, "I am going to have to buy some common cloths that I might avoid stare, or drawing the attention of any Vizjerei that may be inside the city. I don't want anyone to try and fallow us to try and gain what powerful items I might hold, as well this these robes speak of money that might attract thieves, however untrue that might be."  
  
"Ha, us having money? There's a thought. Heh."  
  
Within moments, a woman approached the two that were now standing outside the covered wagon they had been riding in. She bore mark that labeled her as one of the cities, 'Peacekeeper' units which Mason and Victor had know had been put in charge by the king to keep order within the walls, even if they had to use violence themselves. They usually carried shocker staffs that was been magically enchanted to shock someone with enough voltage to nock them off, should need be.  
  
"What is your business here is Westmarch?" She asked coming to them.  
  
"We come here in search of work." Mason said.  
  
"You both?" She asked again.  
  
"Yes." Victor replied.  
  
"You're a mage," she said motioning to Mason, "Are you a Vizjerei?"  
  
"No ma'am."  
  
"What magi clan are you from then?"  
  
"None Ma'am, I am freelance mage."  
  
"I'm sorry Sir, but we will have to ask you to come with me. There have been some troubles concerning an unknown mage who has been attacking citizens. I was instructed to bring all mages that tried to enter the city that were not Vizjerei for questioning."  
  
"Of course." Mason replied, but he knew he had no intention of following the girl. As he was speaking he reached into her mind and placed the thought into her mind that he was allowed to enter the city as she saw fit. She blinked once as Mason telepathic call took effect, then allowed them to pass on without further questioning. As soon as they were out of earshot Victor burst out laughing, for he had seen Mason pull the trick many times before to avoid unwanted happenings.  
  
"You damned fool." Victor chuckled, "That would be the third time this week you did that to someone."  
  
"What?!" Mason asked, trying to look innocent and failed of course.  
  
The pair got into the city a short time after and began to search through the streets and buildings for a local inn, finding it quickly.  
  
"Hey Mas, with all that hocus-pocus you have couldn't you just turn your robe into common clothes?" Victor asked as they entered the tavern. They were followed closely by a cold night breeze that followed through the open door.  
  
"I could. But these robes have been enchanted with great magic. I wouldn't want to turn them into common clothes and forget all the magical spells I placed on these? These robes themselves are worth a few hundred gold coins to any mage." Mason replied.  
  
"Then please, do tell me why we 'avn't sold them and used the money for something useful?"  
  
"Because I like them."  
  
The two sat down at the bar-side and called the servant wench to them to take their order. With the little money they did have, they intended to obtain a hot meal at the least.  
  
"Can I help you with something?" She asked. She was a young girl, no older then fifteen. She had long hair, black in color, and blue eyes that looked as if they generally wanted to help, and perform her job properly.  
  
"We would like the cheapest meal and drink you got, and then we have a few questions for you about the city." Victor rang from behind him. The wench nodded and moves on to take their order to the cook.  
  
"What do you think they meant when they told us a bout their mage problems here?" Mason asked.  
  
"I don't know, they probably have a some crazed sorcerer running about. No real problem to us really. There's probably not a single mage in the city that can match you anyway."  
  
"Right you may be, but I sense something here, that is really strange. I can't put my finger on it really, but something is very very wrong."  
  
"You worry to much Mas. You and me have prove many times before that there is not a single foe on this world that we can't handle, be it hell-spawned, or otherwise."  
  
"Don't be cocky." Mason warned.  
  
Soon after the wench appeared with two bowls of rabbit stew, and two mugs of really cheap-smelling ale. She smiled as she place them in front of her and told them the coast of their meal, which thankfully, was under their price range so that Mason would not have to manipulate the poor girl's mind.  
  
"So," Victor asked, "What's to see here is Westmarch?"  
  
"Well, you came here in the right time if you're looking for things to do. There's a festival starting up within the city a few days from now that might be really fun. As for normal sights, the king's castle in the center of the city is a looker, as well as the Vizjerei Temple and the huge Zakarum Cathedral to the west wall."  
  
"The Children of Zakarum have been around a lot though, you won't get into the church unless there's a mass, and it's usually full to the brim."  
  
Mason knew when she refereed to 'The Children of Zakarum' she meant the paladin warriors that fight alongside the church. Paladins, though noble and powerful warriors, Mason had always found them very annoying people that tended to make things seem a lot more dramatic then they really were.  
  
"It's too bad though. The king has placed a curfew on the entire city because of the mage attacks. 'till the rogue sorcerer is found we can't really do much of anything."  
  
The wench eyes Mason with a look of disgust, as she continued to talk to Victor more directly. Mason took notice that the wench was ogling of him as many women did. Out of the two of them, Mason knew that Victor would be considered the handsome one, but Mason didn't care much for romantic feelings, and was more devoted to his studies and to battle. Those were Mason's passions.  
  
Mason also notice that Victor was giving the girl, who's name turned out to be Marcie, what she wanted, flirting with her like there was no tomorrow and saying all the right things as he always does, she was definitely impressed.  
  
"Girl!" Someone shouted from across the room, calling the wench's attention back to her work.  
  
"All right. All right." She said leaving, but not before winking.  
  
"She's too young." Mason said when she was out of earshot.  
  
"She's eighteen."  
  
"Please Vic, there's no way she was older then fifteen."  
  
"Mas, I was just fooling, its not like I was looking for anything." Victor snapped.  
  
Mason chuckled and stuck his tongue out at Victor who tried to catch it and pull it out. He would have, had Mason not froze Victor in place with a spell.  
  
"Damn Mason. Release Me." Victor shouted as soon as Mason allowed him mouth to move. He didn't really shout per say, but raised his voice enough for it to sound commanding without drawing attention of the other people in the bar.  
  
Mason did so, but not before he telekinetically moved Victor's face into his half-empty bowl of soup.  
  
Mason laughed outright at Victor's embarrassment, but when Victor tried to be mad at his friend, he could and began to laugh himself. This drew that short-lived attention of a few tables near the two. Victor then proceeded to clean his face off from the dripping soup, while still chuckling.  
  
Mason and Victor continued to eat their food, when a few Peacekeeper soldiers walked into the inn. Mason had made a habit of scanning people minds to look for information, and as he did so he found that the peacekeeper's presents was because.  
  
"Vic," Mason said quietly, "The Peacekeepers are here looking for us. Apparently a wizard was around when I manipulated that girl and noticed my telepathic call. We got to move now."  
  
Mason was about to turn himself and Victor invisible, when one of the Peacekeepers teleported the distance of the room and put his hand of Mason's shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don think you people have any chance of escape. Someone within the city hierarchy has asked that I bring you two forward."  
  
"And you think you are the only one who can teleport?" Mason said grabbing his friend's hand and teleported them outside of the building. Then the two ran, but they knew that the Peacekeepers were very close behind.  
  
"Flight might be a good idea right about now." Victor called.  
  
"Not really. I'll just draw attention for if they can teleport, then they can use telekinesis, so they would just take off after us."  
  
"Invisibility then?" Victor asked.  
  
"Nope. They would probably still see us." Mason said jumping over a few people in the street that had fallen. The Peacekeepers were gaining on them.  
  
"I just saw them turn off, there're using side streets. It's not likely this situation will turn out well for us anyway." Victor observed.  
  
Mason grabbed his friend's hand and teleported them to the top of a nearby building. The buildings is Westmarch had been built very close together so the pare began to jump across rooftops making more ground. Mason turned to see only that they were being followed in the same manner by the ever- vigilant Peacekeepers.  
  
Every now and them Mason would hurl a wave of telekinetic energy back at the peace keepers, but it wouldn't blow them back to far before they would resume the chase. They were fighting a loosing battle.  
  
Since when do Peacekeepers use magic? Mason though, still running hard.  
  
Out of no where three peacekeepers appeared at each corner of the building they were on, blocking them from jumping. Each group held a glowing sphere in their hand that Mason knew was used to block any attempt to teleport. Mason himself had used them many times to keep people from poping up right next to him to kill him, but his own orb had been shattered recently and he was hoping to have enough time to replace it here in Westmarch or make a new one.  
  
Victor unsheathed his sword.  
  
"Drop it or there might be some problems for you two in the near future. And you wizard, keep you hand behind you head, I don't want to be surprised by any spellwork." One of the peacekeepers, the leader, said.  
  
"Hey got to love your exercise." Victor said dropping his sword.  
  
Mason in turn moved his hands behind his head. He and Victor could easily kill all of their capturers, but over what? Mason and Victor were chained up a moment later. 


End file.
